


dream fever

by allechant



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-14 13:38:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16913859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allechant/pseuds/allechant
Summary: Xavier can't hold his liquor, Magda can't hold in her feelings, and Black Shadow just wants to have some fun for once. All in all, a very poor combination.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> After doing some of Xavier's favour quests, I couldn't help but fall for him. To be honest, before his favour quests were released I was pretty neutral about him because design-wise he didn't particularly stand out to me. But damn, he's cute as hell, and I ship him with Magda almost as hard as I ship Carlos with Magda now.

There were a few things in the world Xavier considered himself reasonably accomplished in. Art was one of them. Magic was another.

Holding his liquor was definitely not on that list. While he could drink a little without getting outright drunk, taking four shots of tequila in quick succession had probably been a bad idea.

He wasn’t outright  _drunk_  - at least, he didn’t think he was if he was still capable of lucid thought - but he was having difficulties standing upright, and he didn’t even want to imagine walking in a straight line. How did he end up in this situation again?

“Stupid kid…why did you stop?” his barely-tolerable demon companion slurred in his head, making him wince. “We were…having a good time! That chick was  _so_ into you!”

Oh, right, now he remembered. Right. Black Shadow had managed to get a hold over his body long enough to end up in a drinking challenge at the slum party. Which, incidentally, he wasn’t supposed to attend. He had been invited to the other ball. Did he go the wrong way? He couldn’t quite remember.

Either way, Xavier was glad he had gotten himself out of that party. He was now slumped against a very comfortable tree, but he had to get going if he wanted to make it back to the Spiral Spire before daybreak. If he didn’t, Lou would probably yell her head off about how irresponsible he was and how he was setting a poor example for the other mages in the Spire…

“Ignore that madwoman! She’s nothing compared to us!” Black Shadow hissed maliciously, but Xavier closed his eyes and pretended not to hear the demon. He could feel the demon pacing around in his head, almost ready to burst out of his skin. “Let me have some fun for once,” Black Shadow moaned.

“Mr Xavier?” he heard a familiar voice, but he was too tired to look in the right direction. She couldn’t possibly be out here, not so late. Could she? He must be dreaming. Yeah, he must have dozed off against the tree. So comfortable…

Someone was shaking him. He didn’t appreciate that. “Mr Xavier, wake up!” a sweet voice called frantically. Black Shadow purred, suddenly placated by the sound of the voice. For all the demon’s bluster and bravado, there was no denying the kind of effect Magda Ellenstein had on the both of them…

Was it really Magda? Xavier opened an eye, peering up. Even that took more effort than he was willing to exert, and he groaned. There was a quiet sigh, and he felt a slim arm fall around his shoulders. “Mr Xavier, you’re drunk,” the nice lady whispered. “I’m going to get you back to the Spiral Spire, all right?”

“Mmm, all right Mom,” Xavier slurred. It was such a pleasant night. The moon was shining, the stars were out, and…oh, Magda’s perfume was so nice. He took a deep breath and smiled wistfully.

Magda was so pretty. He always did hope that she would have feelings for him, but it was…well, he knew it would probably just remain a fantasy. The mages of Spiral Spire didn’t have time to focus on worldly affairs. And why would Magda be interested in a mage? There were so many noblemen who wanted her.

“Kid, you can’t just  _give up_ before you even try!” Black Shadow protested in response to his thoughts. Again, Xavier ignored him. He was too tired for this. He guessed his drunken state affected the demon enough that Black Shadow couldn’t use his body, because it just grumbled and coiled up in his mind, like an angry rattlesnake. Xavier snorted. Black Shadow, a snake…how apt.

“Come on, Mr Xavier, let’s go,” the girl heaved him up and the next thing he knew, he was standing and his head was spinning and he felt the sudden intense urge to throw up. But it wouldn’t be very nice to throw up all over the nice lady. So he summoned the last vestiges of magic he had and cast a spell to knock himself out. It was better than being sick all over someone’s dress.

* * *

Magda managed to get Xavier up to his room with the help of two of his pupils. They clearly had never seen their tutor so drunk before, and Magda had to bribe them with Honey Fiddler candies to not let anyone know about this or the fact that she was in Xavier’s room.

After helping Xavier onto her carriage, the coachman sent them to the Spiral Spire, and she told the coachman to inform her mother she would be looking after Xavier tonight. She was really quite worried about him; she had never seen Xavier in this state before. In fact, she didn’t even know he drank alcohol.

“Mmm…Magda,” Xavier suddenly moaned in his sleep, and she hurried to his side, wondering what he wanted. The mage hadn’t woken up since she found him, and she hoped he wouldn’t stay unconscious for too long. How much time did it take for someone to get over a hangover?

It had been an hour since they got back to the Spire, and she had spent the time looking around Xavier’s study, reading the titles of the books he had on his shelves. She remembered Black Shadow mentioning that Xavier had a lot of art, but she couldn’t find any artworks, so maybe they were in another room.

“Xavier? Are you awake?” she whispered, hesitantly reaching out to stroke his long auburn hair away from his forehead. The man murmured something inaudible, and she leant slightly closer to make out what he was saying.

Suddenly, she felt his arms reach behind her, pulling her down to the bed with him. She gasped, her cheeks instantly reddening, as she found herself nestled in the crook of Xavier’s neck. “Magda, you smell really nice,” Xavier whispered, and when she peeked up she saw that his brown eyes were wide open.

Her face felt like an inferno. “Xavier!” she exclaimed, but quietly because she didn’t want to attract any attention. “Are you…are you all right?” she checked, still concerned about his condition.

“Did something happen to me? I don’t know…” the mage frowned, and she felt slender fingers lazily stroking through her hair. His touch made her shiver. “Mm, it’s nice to see you, even if it does happen to be a dream,” he mumbled.

Magda abruptly realised that he wasn’t fully conscious, not if he thought she was just a dream. But surely it couldn’t hurt to play along - maybe she could find out more about what he thought of her? Besides…it was exciting to have Xavier holding her so close to him. Her heart was racing in her chest.

The powerful mage had always been a little…distant? It wasn’t really the right word to use, but she always felt like there was this thin wall between them, and she wasn’t quite sure how she could break it down. Xavier certainly  _seemed_ interested in her, but he never made any moves, so she couldn’t be sure.

“Well, since we’re in a dream, then what do you want to do to me?” Magda boldly suggested, unable to believe the audacity of the words she just spoke. As her face continued to redden, she decided that there was no shame in her being so straightforward - after all, it was a dream, and the rules of dreams were different, weren’t they?

Xavier’s eyes practically glowed. “What I want to do to you…” he echoed, and Magda suddenly feared that she had said the wrong thing. Had she broken the spell? Was he now suddenly awake and lucid? The pause seemed to stretch into eternity, this single moment suspended in time. Her heart thudded.

In that same instant she felt warm lips on hers, and instinctively she gasped, unable to help her response to his touch. His fingers twined through her hair, and as he shifted himself so that he was on top of her, his weight pressing her into the bed, her arms wrapped around his slim waist and she closed her eyes, enjoying his scent and his taste.

It was a kiss far from chaste. It was the kind of deep, delicious kiss she had only ever read about in the books her mother kept hidden in the cupboard in her room. When Xavier broke away from her lips and trailed butterfly kisses down her bare neck, she moaned, one of her hands moving up to fist his hair.

In response, he nipped her neck, and she jolted, the shock far from unpleasant. His fingers were sliding beneath the neckline of her slip - she had removed her heavy ballroom gown after sending Xavier to his room, and now she wasn’t wearing anything besides her white underdress - and as he tugged on the thin straps, she bit her lip, wondering where this was heading.

Was it too fast? Too soon? She liked Xavier a lot, she really did. But she didn’t even know if he  _really_ liked her in return or if this was just some…drunken dream fever. And she didn’t want her first time with Xavier to be in the midst of a drunken stupor. His lips felt so good though…his tongue ran over the part where her neck led to her shoulder, and she shuddered. Her skin was so sensitive there, and wherever he touched, her body tingled.

It reminded her of the spells and enchantments he used on dresses, with their sparkly lights and details. She was sparkling too, tingling everywhere he touched her, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he was using magic to make it feel so good. Or was intimacy always supposed to feel like this?

Curious, she slid her hands down his shirt, cautiously pulling up the hem, and it revealed just the tiniest hint of bare skin and toned stomach. “Xavier,” she whispered his name, and the mage met her gaze, his eyes slightly darker than she was used to. It unnerved her a little, actually. “What’s…what’s going on?”

“I want you,” the words came out quick and breathless. His hands went from her arms to her wrists, grabbing her hands and pinning her down with his body. “I’ve wanted you for a long time, so much that I think I’m losing my mind,” his long hair cascaded around his face, making it hard for her to read his expression. She didn’t know what to say next.

“Do you…like me?” Magda asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer. She remembered what other ladies had said before about lust and love. Her mother telling her that to fall in love would make her less desirable. Rincole and the trail of broken hearts she left in her wake. Love was a terrifying thing.

“Like you?” Xavier paused. “Do you think I’d be trying to get into your pants now if I didn’t like you, washing board?” Xavier shook his hair out of his eyes and grinned at her. Magda narrowed her eyes at him.

“Get off me, Black Shadow,” she demanded. “I want to talk to  _Xavier_ , not you! And…were  _you_  the one kissing me all along?” she asked, aghast.

“Hey, if it helps, I was just carrying out the fantasies Xavier always had in his head,” the demon shrugged. His eyes glowed with an eldritch light. “And about getting off you…hmm, Xavier isn’t exactly  _conscious_  now, so if let’s say I want to carry on,” a finger ran down her cheek, and she jerked her face away, “then what are you going to do about it, Magda Ellenstein?”


	2. Chapter 2

Magda considered her options. Black Shadow had her hands pinned so she couldn’t move her arms, and the mage, though slim, was considerably heavier than her. There was probably no way she could squirm free.

But if she timed it  _just right_  and if she didn’t catch his attention…maybe she could manage to knee him in the groin? Almost as though he read her mind, Black Shadow pressed Xavier’s lips against hers again and she moaned, all thoughts of getting away suddenly flying out of the window.

Xavier was warm and his lips were soft and delicate - it wasn’t a messy, hungry kiss like the first one, this kiss was sweet and gentle and searching, more like  _Xavier_ than the demon which resided in his body - one hand left her wrist and caught her chin, holding her head still as their lips melded perfectly together.

“You smell so sweet,” he whispered in her ear, and she couldn’t tell who was the one speaking, Xavier or Black Shadow. Regardless of which this was the man she had grown feelings for, and his touch sent trails of fire all over her skin. She had never felt so alive, not since she first entered Finsel’s social circles, and the feeling of smooth satin slipping off her skin made her toes curl.

“I thought mages were supposed to swear off material things,” she murmured, running her fingers underneath his shirt, nails digging gently into his back. He hissed, eyes narrowing slightly at her, and she relished the power her touch had over him. He was so powerful, but she could affect him so  _easily_.

“That doesn’t mean I’m not still a man,” the mage purred, and Magda then decided that this was  _definitely_ still Black Shadow. The Xavier she knew would never purr like that - it was the same voice, melodious and soothing, but spoken with a lustful, seductive lilt that the gentle mage lacked.

Magda hesitated, and Black Shadow seemed to sense her reluctance. “What’s wrong?” he asked, and she met his gaze - even though she  _knew_ it was the demon, those warm brown eyes were still filled with a concern she was all too familiar with. Even if Black Shadow insisted on calling her washboard - which clearly contradicted his present interest in her chest - she knew that the demon cared for her as much as Xavier did.

“I want to talk to  _Xavier_ ,” she stressed his name. “If anything is going to happen tonight I want it to be with him. You’re probably already very experienced with, uh, this kind of thing - and since you two share a body why not just take a back seat for once? Please?” she wheedled, shivering a little as a cold wind blew through the window, raising goosebumps on her exposed skin.

Black Shadow groaned. “I’m tired of being in the back seat! And I’m sick of the damn boy being a virgin goody-two-shoes! Besides, he’s out cold. Completely gone, zip, zero,  _nada_. If you want to talk about back seats, I’d gladly use  _your_  back seat…” Black Shadow raised an eyebrow and winked at her.

It took Magda a while to understand what he meant, but once she got it, her face instantly flushed. “No. Absolutely not!” she scrambled away - Black Shadow had loosened his grip just enough for her to break free - and pulled her slip up, covering her breasts. “And if you don’t want to give Xavier back his body, then this isn’t going anywhere!”

The demon rolled his eyes and shook his head, muttering something incomprehensible. “Fine then, have it your way,” he groused. “But if you don’t have a pleasant first experience because  _pretty boy_ here is a completely inexperienced moron, don’t come bawling to me later.”

She didn’t care whether Xavier had experience or not - in fact, if he did, she might be just a  _little_  uncomfortable - she just wanted him to be here, him to be the one touching and kissing her instead of his demon companion. She shooed Black Shadow away and moments later, Xavier slumped over her, apparently unconscious. His head fell between her breasts, much to her embarrassment.

His breath was warm, and it still smelled faintly of alcohol. She wrapped her arms loosely around him, resting her chin on top of his head. His hair was silky smooth, and she thought it was even better maintained than hers. How unfair! Maybe it was a side effect of all the magic he was always using.

Her fingers idly traced his features, going over his jaw and his cheekbones - he looked so peaceful in his sleep. For just this moment he didn’t look like one of the most powerful mages in the whole of Finsel - he just looked like a regular person, someone free from the heavy burdens of duty and responsibility. His breath fluttered against her skin.

When she was lying with Xavier like this, she no longer felt the molten heat Black Shadow had ignited in her belly. She just wanted to cradle him to sleep and watch how peaceful he was. When he was awake, Xavier was always busy, or he had problems of some sort to handle. It was nice to see him so at ease.

“Magda…” she heard her name and glanced down quickly, wondering if he had woken up. No, the mage was still asleep, but there was a faint smile on his face. Was he dreaming of her? What kind of dream was it? She was so curious. Slowly, she leant back against the bed, holding Xavier so that he wouldn’t slide off her or the mattress. Being this close to him was nice. She didn’t need anything more than this, and she really shouldn’t expect more either.

It was going to be a long night. Her eyes slowly, slowly fluttered shut. She would wake up early tomorrow and leave before Xavier realised she was here. Otherwise, it might be a little awkward, and she would like to avoid that.

* * *

“Magda!” she could feel herself being shaken awake, and groggily she turned around, trying to avoid the annoying pest. “Magda, you can’t keep sleeping here!” the voice was vaguely familiar, and also rather distressed.

“Let me sleep, Mother,” Magda groaned. “I stayed up late last night looking after Master Xavier, and I’m so tired today…” she yawned, pulling a pillow over her head. The pillow had a pleasant scent to it, one that was again very familiar. She could  _almost_  place a finger on it…where had she smelled this before?

“Magda!” the pillow was taken off her head, much to her chagrin. “What happened last night? Did we do something? Why is your dress on the chair?” the voice was getting louder and increasingly frantic. Magda finally opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a vaguely-familiar room that was  _decidedly_  not hers. The second thing - or rather, person - she saw was an auburn-haired man with warm brown eyes, sitting beside her on the bed with a look of immense guilt on his face. “Oh, finally! You’re awake! I thought you were never going to wake up!” Xavier exhaled, meeting her gaze.

“Oh, Xavier,” Magda yawned, still half-conscious. “Where am I? Why am I here? Why are  _you_ here?” she frowned woozily, trying to get a sense of what was going on. She also realised that her slip had fallen almost entirely off the upper half of her body - no wonder she felt so cold right now. She shivered.

Magda didn’t notice Xavier blatantly averting his gaze from her exposed skin, a brilliant red flush on his cheeks. “This is my room!” the mage exclaimed. “And I should be asking you why are  _you_ here - did we do something last night?” he demanded. “If we did, I…I apologise! And I’m willing to take full responsibility!”

She blinked. “What did you think we could possibly have done?” she asked, and Xavier couldn’t stop himself from admiring how beautifully blue her wide, gorgeous eyes were. She looked so pristine, so  _pure_  and  _innocent…_ and he could very well have deflowered her. This was entirely his fault.

“I’m so sorry, Lady Ellenstein, I - I don’t know what came over me,” he stammered, unable to tear his gaze away from her eyes though he desperately wanted to look anywhere else. He  _had_ thought about doing all sorts of things to her before, of course - imagining her naked was the tamest item on that list - but he  _knew_ they were fantasies. Those thoughts had no place in the real world.

“We didn’t do anything, Xavier,” she laughed. “Why are you so worked up? I promise that nothing happened,” she stretched, yawning again, and his gaze slid down from her face to the smooth arch of her back, the long, supple limbs that practically beckoned him to taste, to touch - he shook his head.

Then he noticed a dark patch on her neck. “What’s this?” he lowered his voice, leaning closer to take a look. Magda stilled, allowing him to examine her - he could feel her warmth and her softness just through his light touches, and he was very tempted to bury his face in the crook of her neck and inhale, but he forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. Black Shadow whined in the back of his mind like a lonely pet. He ignored the lustful demon.

“I think it’s a hickey,” Magda explained, so matter-of-factly that his first reaction was to just stare at her. When he didn’t respond, she turned to look at him, tilting her head in adorable confusion. “Xavier, you look like you’re going to have a breakdown,” she commented. “You  _really_  have been overworking yourself.”

“A hickey?” he burst out, unable to believe what he was hearing. “A  _hickey_  and you tell me that we didn’t do anything last night?” a terrible thought occurred to him. “It’s not that you got it from someone else at a ball before, right?” he asked, praying fervently that this wasn’t the case. Though it really shouldn’t be any of his business what Magda wanted to do with her own life.

“Oh, of course not!” Magda looked affronted. “What kind of person do you think I am? It was you, of course - or more accurately, it was Black Shadow. He kissed me while you were unconscious…but we didn’t do anything more than that, I promise!” she smiled sweetly at him. Xavier was shocked into silence.

“Come on, kid. She was into you,” Black Shadow protested in response. “I was just taking advantage of the situation! But she wouldn’t let me pop her cherry because she wanted to save it for  _you_ …not that I’d understand why. Washboard might have a pretty face, but her smarts sure don’t match her looks.”

“She wants to…save it for me?” Xavier couldn’t be sure he was hearing things right. Magda wanted…to give herself to him? Black Shadow did the mental equivalent of a shrug but uncharacteristically remained silent after that.

“Xavier? Are you there?” Magda was peering up at him now, a faint frown on her face. “You don’t look quite right. You know, last night you were so drunk that you collapsed against a tree! I came across you and sent you here, and I thought it would be a good idea to stay and look after you too, which is why I’m in your room today. I hope that helps to answer some of your questions.”

“Magda,” Xavier interrupted. “About last night…you said that Black Shadow kissed you, right?” Magda quickly glanced away, suddenly unable to look him in the eye, but he caught her chin and gently tilted her head, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her fair skin was pink. Magda was adorable when she was shy…

“Um…yes,” she clarified, stumbling over her words. “We…we kissed a little, but I didn’t want to carry on with that because, well, he’s not you,” she bit her lip, peeking up at him from underneath long eyelashes. Xavier took in a deep breath.

This was a stupid decision and it would probably end up as an even stupider mistake, but he had already come this far and if he didn’t make a move now…not only would Black Shadow harass him about it for months, but Xavier also wouldn’t be able to live with himself after that, not when he let a chance like this slip so easily through his fingers.

He leant forward and kissed her, and the moment their lips met she whimpered, parting her lips slightly for him. Her soft mouth tasted like a sweet memory, and as he twined his fingers through her hair, he felt Magda pressing herself closer to him, her arms wrapping around his waist.

Mages were supposed to live secular lives, dedicated to their study and their magic. They weren’t supposed to fall in love, not with people outside of the Spiral Spire, and definitely not with noble ladies. But for just this once…maybe just this once, it would be okay to bend the rules a little. Just this once.


	3. Chapter 3

Magda looked furtively around the ball, hoping to spot Xavier  _somewhere_. She was  _absolutely_ certain that the mage was on the guest list, but he was nowhere to be found, and she was becoming increasingly frustrated.

They really needed to talk. She smiled at the memory of their kiss in his room that fateful morning - it was such a sweet, tender kiss, and what made it even better was the fact that it came from Xavier himself, rather than Black Shadow. But the kiss ended too soon, and after that the mage quickly ushered her out of the Spiral Spire, telling her that she really needed to go home.

Her mother had been questioning her non-stop ever since, and Magda was glad to get a little reprieve from that by attending this ball. Thankfully, her mother hadn’t been around when she received this invitation otherwise, Magda had little doubt the older woman would try her best to forbid her from going.

Her mother kept telling her that she ought to avoid Xavier for the time being since it was practically a guarantee that rumours about them would spread, given the fact that she had spent the night in his room. Magda understood why her mother was so afraid of the consequences of these rumours; after all, the moment she was tied down to any man, her appeal would naturally plummet.

But she couldn’t just  _ignore_ Xavier. And she was actually a little offended by his continual avoidance of her. Did he really think it was okay to just drop her completely after the night they shared? She sighed, and Barbara paused whatever she was saying, tilting her head. “Magda, you weren’t listening to me again, were you?” she asked reproachfully. Magda felt her cheeks redden.

“I’m sorry, Barbara, I was just...looking for someone,” she admitted. Barbara’s blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as her lips curved into a smile, whatever annoyance she might have had with Magda instantly melting away.

“Looking for someone!” she echoed. “Who are you searching for? Perhaps I can help you,” she giggled. Magda thought over whether she ought to explain that she  _wasn’t_ looking for some secret lover or whatnot, as that was clearly what Barbara was thinking...but then again, was Xavier considered her lover since they had already done some decidedly non-platonic things together?

Maybe she should leave that idea alone for now. “Ah, I’m just looking for Master Xavier,” she glanced around again, seeing no sign of the auburn-haired mage. “My mother wanted to ask him about enchanting some of her old dresses for me to wear,” Barbara made a small sound of understanding, but her blue eyes still sparkled with mischief. Magda tried to ignore that.

“Master Xavier? I saw him going to the balcony to get a breath of fresh air! He’s probably still there, I haven’t seen him since,” Barbara chirruped, giving her a playful wink. “I’ll cover for you if anyone asks where you are. I heard that Lord Balfey has been searching for you all night, intent on convincing yet another poor soul to invest in his telescope business,” she added, sounding sour.

Magda didn’t need any further push. “Thank you so much, Barbara!” she turned in the direction of the balcony, hoping to catch Xavier this time. He couldn’t possibly keep on avoiding her, could he?

* * *

“Kid, you really are an idiot,” Black Shadow actually sounded exasperated for once. Xavier ignored the demon, drumming his fingers against the balustrade. It was his own life, and he didn’t need Black Shadow trying to interfere with it any more than he already had.

“Interfere?” Black Shadow exclaimed, affronted. “If  _I_ didn’t kiss the washboard you would never have worked up the nerve to do so! And who will have to listen to you continuously moaning about not being able to make a move on her?  _Me,_  that’s who, so sorry for looking out for  _my_  own interests.”

“You know, you’re the most pleasant when you keep your mouth shut,” Xavier interjected, closing his eyes and kneading his forehead. It was one thing trying to suppress Black Shadow and prevent it from using his body to wreak havoc all across Finsel. It was another thing to put up with the demon’s constant whining. It was like having a class of child mages running around the inside of his head. One of these days, he was going to develop a chronic migraine.

“Xavier?” a familiar voice called his name, and instantly he froze, hoping that he had simply imagined the voice. But it came closer. “I know it’s you, so stop pretending that you didn’t hear me,” Magda continued, and unless he was mishearing things, she sounded annoyed.

Slowly, he turned to face her, hoping that it was dark enough that she wouldn’t see the blush on his face. “Fat hope,” Black Shadow whispered, but he ignored the demon for now. Talking to Magda would require all of his concentration, especially if she was going to bring up that night in his room. He really hoped that she wasn’t here to talk about that -

“Ever since you kissed me, you’ve been avoiding me,” Magda started, taking a step closer to him. Trapped against the balustrade, Xavier had nowhere to go except sideways. It was strange, how terrifying someone as slender and beautiful as Magda could be. He felt like a cornered animal. “I really think we need to talk about this. I mean, you can’t just pretend that it didn’t happen!”

Xavier looked around anxiously. “Lady Ellenstein,” he whispered, “keep your voice down! There might be others listening,” he glanced behind her at the doorway, thankful there didn’t  _appear_  to be any prying ears. One could never be too careful. “And I’m not... _avoiding_  you,” he lied, struggling to come up with an excuse. “I’ve just been...really busy lately, trying to gather materials for dress enchantments. As you know, business in the Spiral Spire is booming.”

He knew, from the sceptical look on Magda’s face, that he wasn’t fooling anyone here. “I know you’ve been turning down all the ball invitations where I have indicated my attendance, Xavier. That’s why I asked Barbara not to say that I’ll be attending tonight. And all of a sudden, you decide to appear!”

“All right Magda, yes, I was avoiding you,” Xavier decided that lying probably wouldn’t get him anywhere. The look of hurt on Magda’s face made him feel terrible. “It’s not that I  _want_  to avoid you or anything, it’s just...I didn’t know what to say,” he admitted. “Or what I  _should_ say, really. Neither Black Shadow nor I should have taken advantage of you and for that, I’m genuinely sorry.”

Magda sighed, shaking her head. “Xavier...” she came even closer, and he couldn’t find it within himself to sidestep again, so now she was right in front of him, her blue eyes staring intently into his. “Maybe I wasn’t clear enough. But I  _want_ you to kiss me. I want you to touch me and hold me and maybe...maybe even more,” her face reddened, but Xavier was sure his cheeks were equally flushed by this point. He had no idea how to respond to that. “Please stop trying to avoid me because it makes me feel like you think I’m not good enough for you...”

“No! It’s definitely not that!” he blurted out. “You’re more than good enough for me. I think I’m the one who’s not worthy of being with you, Lady Ellenstein. Even though I’m a mage, I’m still only a civilian, while your family has noble blood...it is unlikely that things will turn out well, so why try and court failure?”

“Xavier, you can’t think that way!” Magda shook her head again, this time more vehemently. “Especially not after you already kissed me. You stole my first kiss and then you ran away - that’s a horrible thing to do,” she protested. He blinked, shocked by what he just heard. Magda had never kissed anyone else before? He had done a truly terrible thing then. Black Shadow responded to that thought with a sound of disgust. “Despite what you say, you’re one of the most powerful mages in the Spiral Spire and I really respect your abilities...you being a civilian doesn’t matter, at least not to me.”

He exhaled, thinking over what to say next. But Magda didn’t give him time to respond - the next thing he knew, she leant up and cupped his face in her delicate hands, pulling him down towards her. Her lips pressed lightly against his, more of a fleeting brush than an actual kiss, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“I like you Xavier, and I want to give this a try,” she whispered. “Unless you tell me outright that you have no interest in me whatsoever, that you think I’m a foul, repulsive creature and you would never in a million years want to be with me - unless you tell me all that, I don’t want to give this chance up,” she gazed at him with those earnest blue eyes, and he was shaken.

“I...I can’t tell you any of that,” he admitted. “I like you too, it’s just...” the words died on his tongue as he saw the tiny frown on her face. “Fine,” he found himself saying, and Magda laughed, tiptoeing to kiss him again. This time he held her by the waist, closing his eyes as he met her lips.

“Looks like you did something right for once, kid,” Black Shadow sounded almost proud. “Though can we take turns sometimes? You know, it’s been a  _long_  while since I’ve last been with any woman -”

“No, definitely not,” Xavier thought back. He really had to find a way to separate Black Shadow from him soon, no matter how futile this task might seem to be. The last thing he wanted was the demon taking over his body whenever he and Magda shared any kind of intimacy.

But for now, he just enjoyed the feel of her skin and the taste of her mouth, aware that all of this was real and for once, she was more than just a dream. This time when morning came, she would still be in his arms, and maybe that was a good thing after all.


End file.
